COLUMBUS, Ohio -- "I'm tired of rallies. I want to fight!" So said Tim Burga, operations director of the Ohio AFL-CIO, addressing the hundreds who had braved the cold Feb. 20 to attend a "Pass It Now" rally for health care reform at the SEIU Local 1199 hall here.

There was a sense of real urgency in the hall, as speaker after speaker pounded on the point that, as Brian Rothenberg of Progress Ohio stated, "We now have 6 weeks to win the fight our people have been fighting since the Truman administration: health care for all!"

Becky Williams, president of SEIU, 1199, was interrupted by loud cheers as she led off the rally, telling the crowd, "We have three things to tell the administration and the majority in congress.

"One -- we worked for and voted for change last year. That means actually changing what was there when you got there.

"Two -- we need for you to lead with courage, not be intimidated by Fox News and Teabaggers.

"Three, don't be fooled by lies!" she said. "If you do these things we'll be with you, and the 66% of Americans who, according to polls are demanding that health care reform be passed."

Williams went on to point out that "pundits are talking about bipartisanship, but over 40% of that 66% supporting reform are Republicans. While the national media talks, 44,000 Americans lost health care last week and that many will be dropped next week, and every week until we win this fight," she said.

"Four hundred twenty one of our friends, neighbors died last week for not having access to health care, and that will continue, as well."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- "I'm tired of rallies. I want to fight!" So said Tim Burga, operations director of the Ohio AFL-CIO, addressing the hundreds who had braved the cold Feb. 20 to attend a "Pass It Now" rally for health care reform at the SEIU Local 1199 hall here.

There was a sense of real urgency in the hall, as speaker after speaker pounded on the point that, as Brian Rothenberg of Progress Ohio stated, "We now have 6 weeks to win the fight our people have been fighting since the Truman administration: health care for all!"

Becky Williams, president of SEIU, 1199, was interrupted by loud cheers as she led off the rally, telling the crowd, "We have three things to tell the administration and the majority in congress.

"One -- we worked for and voted for change last year. That means actually changing what was there when you got there.

"Two -- we need for you to lead with courage, not be intimidated by Fox News and Teabaggers.

"Three, don't be fooled by lies!" she said. "If you do these things we'll be with you, and the 66% of Americans who, according to polls are demanding that health care reform be passed."

Williams went on to point out that "pundits are talking about bipartisanship, but over 40% of that 66% supporting reform are Republicans. While the national media talks, 44,000 Americans lost health care last week and that many will be dropped next week, and every week until we win this fight," she said.

"Four hundred twenty one of our friends, neighbors died last week for not having access to health care, and that will continue, as well."

Just more union thugs wanting to destroy what this country was founded on.

He need to be careful whom he claims he wants to fight. If he shows up at a rally he might run into the wrong crowd and get stomped into a mud hole.

Click to expand...

Unions are a part of our history. That many of them have outlasted their initial purpose and cause plenty of headaches for us all these days is a fact as well. Yet it is also true that our devotion to capitalism leads us down some ugly roads too.

All this guy is doing is asking for those elected officials to follow through on their campaign promises and deliver what the people have asked for.

Not quite sure what you mean by your second statement. I mean, I do, but it's a pretty silly sentiment. Beating on someone for standing up for solid principles seems counter-intuitive to me.

Just more union thugs wanting to destroy what this country was founded on.

He need to be careful whom he claims he wants to fight. If he shows up at a rally he might run into the wrong crowd and get stomped into a mud hole.

Click to expand...

Unions are a part of our history. That many of them have outlasted their initial purpose and cause plenty of headaches for us all these days is a fact as well. Yet it is also true that our devotion to capitalism leads us down some ugly roads too.

All this guy is doing is asking for those elected officials to follow through on their campaign promises and deliver what the people have asked for.

Not quite sure what you mean by your second statement. I mean, I do, but it's a pretty silly sentiment. Beating on someone for standing up for solid principles seems counter-intuitive to me.

Just my 2 cents.

Click to expand...

With the history of Union violence, esp lately at the town halls, it means just that. If they come looking for a fight, which he claims he is, he might find one. People are sick of unions thugs bullying people around. One day they might find themselves outnumbered and in the wrong place and people like this man whom is inciting violence, might get what he is asking for.

Just more union thugs wanting to destroy what this country was founded on.

He need to be careful whom he claims he wants to fight. If he shows up at a rally he might run into the wrong crowd and get stomped into a mud hole.

Click to expand...

Unions are a part of our history. That many of them have outlasted their initial purpose and cause plenty of headaches for us all these days is a fact as well. Yet it is also true that our devotion to capitalism leads us down some ugly roads too.

All this guy is doing is asking for those elected officials to follow through on their campaign promises and deliver what the people have asked for.

Not quite sure what you mean by your second statement. I mean, I do, but it's a pretty silly sentiment. Beating on someone for standing up for solid principles seems counter-intuitive to me.

Just my 2 cents.

Click to expand...

With the history of Union violence, esp lately at the town halls, it means just that. If they come looking for a fight, which he claims he is, he might find one. People are sick of unions thugs bullying people around. One day they might find themselves outnumbered and in the wrong place and people like this man whom is inciting violence, might get what he is asking for.

Click to expand...

History of union violence? Damnable liars like you definately would like to convince those completely ignorant of the history of this nation that that is the case.

Most of the time it was hired thugs killing people asking for a living wage.

An Eclectic List of Events in U.S. Labor History
13 January 1874
The original Tompkins Square Riot. As unemployed workers demonstrated in New York's Tompkins Square Park, a detachment of mounted police charged into the crowd, beating men, women and children indiscriminately with billy clubs and leaving hundreds of casualties in their wake. Commented Abram Duryee, the Commissioner of Police: "It was the most glorious sight I ever saw..."

On the morning of April 20, 1914 the National Guard opened machine gun and rifle fire on the tent colony in Ludlow and then set it on fire. The bodies of the two women and eleven children were found in a pit dug under a tent where they had been hiding - they had either suffocated or burned to death. Three strikers, including Louis Tikas - a leader of the colony, were taken prisoner and then killed by militiamen.

Unions are a part of our history. That many of them have outlasted their initial purpose and cause plenty of headaches for us all these days is a fact as well. Yet it is also true that our devotion to capitalism leads us down some ugly roads too.

All this guy is doing is asking for those elected officials to follow through on their campaign promises and deliver what the people have asked for.

Not quite sure what you mean by your second statement. I mean, I do, but it's a pretty silly sentiment. Beating on someone for standing up for solid principles seems counter-intuitive to me.

Just my 2 cents.

Click to expand...

With the history of Union violence, esp lately at the town halls, it means just that. If they come looking for a fight, which he claims he is, he might find one. People are sick of unions thugs bullying people around. One day they might find themselves outnumbered and in the wrong place and people like this man whom is inciting violence, might get what he is asking for.

Click to expand...

History of union violence? Damnable liars like you definately would like to convince those completely ignorant of the history of this nation that that is the case.

Most of the time it was hired thugs killing people asking for a living wage.

An Eclectic List of Events in U.S. Labor History
13 January 1874
The original Tompkins Square Riot. As unemployed workers demonstrated in New York's Tompkins Square Park, a detachment of mounted police charged into the crowd, beating men, women and children indiscriminately with billy clubs and leaving hundreds of casualties in their wake. Commented Abram Duryee, the Commissioner of Police: "It was the most glorious sight I ever saw..."

Welcome to my home page, a resource for documenting my passion and work - primarily in the realms of music, radio-electronics and archaeology/history.
I currently play in three bands: Musica Universalis, an early music consort, The Mitzfits, a small klezmer band, and the larger Cornell University Klezmer Ensemble. My music page contains samples of my music. I am also author of the authoritative online Guide to Classical Indian/Jazz Fusion.

You can read a bit more about myself, see the latest projects i've been working on, or consult my master list of lists.

Good grief.

And... like it or not, unions have had their fair share of thuggery from within. Personally, I would rather not have people like Andy Stern and Crew close to the seat of power in this country. They are NOT a special interest group, 'We, the People' are THE ONLY special interest group.

That is the change America expected. Not just changing the label on the jackets of the special interests.

Just more union thugs wanting to destroy what this country was founded on.

He need to be careful whom he claims he wants to fight. If he shows up at a rally he might run into the wrong crowd and get stomped into a mud hole.

Click to expand...

Unions are a part of our history. That many of them have outlasted their initial purpose and cause plenty of headaches for us all these days is a fact as well. Yet it is also true that our devotion to capitalism leads us down some ugly roads too.

All this guy is doing is asking for those elected officials to follow through on their campaign promises and deliver what the people have asked for.

Not quite sure what you mean by your second statement. I mean, I do, but it's a pretty silly sentiment. Beating on someone for standing up for solid principles seems counter-intuitive to me.

Just my 2 cents.

Click to expand...

With the history of Union violence, esp lately at the town halls, it means just that. If they come looking for a fight, which he claims he is, he might find one. People are sick of unions thugs bullying people around. One day they might find themselves outnumbered and in the wrong place and people like this man whom is inciting violence, might get what he is asking for.

Click to expand...

Please elaborate on this "history" you speak of. I remember perhaps one incident at a town hall?

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